Drilling apparatus.



No. 884,760. A PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

' G. R. RICH.

DRILLING APPARATUS. A

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17 1905.

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' PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

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- G. R RICH.

DRILLING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED JUN 17. 1906.

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r": NORRIS PETERS c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

GEORGE R. RICH, OF BUCHANAN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO OELFOR TOOL OOMPA NY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DRILLING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 17,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. Rron, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buchanan, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawto be used for drilling the rails of railway tracks, although my improved apparatus is not limited in its application to that use alone, but may be employed for any other purpose to which it is adapted.

So far as I am aware, no one has heretofore produced a drilling apparatus capable of bein applied to the si e of a railway rail and fixe y secured in place without spanning the rail, and althou h the disadvantages of having to remove tie drilling apparatus to per m1t the passage of trains have been fully appreciated, heretofore no satisfactory device has been developed by which such objections could be avoided. My improved drilling apparatus is-free from such objections, since it is arranged to be applied to a side of the rail and to be secured fixedly thereto by jaws or clamps which engage the upper and lowerfian es of the rail with sufiicient firmness to hol the drilling mechanism properly in operative position. Said clampmg devices are supported'in a frame, which carries the drilling mechanism, which is so held that the drill is properly centered. The parts of the apparatus are so constructed and arranged that when it isin place it in no Way interferes with the passage of a train, but may be allowed to remain in place as long as may be desired, regardless of travel over the railroad.

In addition to the foregoing features, I also provide means by which the 'feed of the drill may be automatically regulated and the pressure of the drill maintained substantially uniform during the drilling operation. I also provide certam other improvements which are hereinafter described and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawin s,Figure 1 is a plan view of my im roved rilling apparatus Fig. 2 is a vertica section of a rail and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

1905. Serial No. 265,679.

the drilling apparatus on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section, illustrating the mechanism for adjusting the clam ing jaws; Fig. 4 is a section on line 44 of igs. 1 and 3; Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fi 2; Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 1; ig. 7 is a view, illustrating the lower end of the chuck cylinder and one of the chuck jaws; and Fig. 8 is a partial end View, illustrating the arrangement of the clamping jaws.

Referring to the drawings,-8 indicates the frame of the drilling apparatus, which is best made in the form shown in Fig. 1, bein generally speaking, triangular in outline. t may, however, be of any other suitable de- S] n.

9 indicates a chuck cylinder which is fitted in suitable bearings 10-11 at one side of the frame 8, so as to turn freely therein, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A bushing 12 is best provided on the bearing 10 to take the wear, as shown in Fig. 2.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the chuck cylinouter end receives a feed-nut 13, the outer end of which is preferably reduced and extends through the bearing 11. A feed-wheel 14 is mounted upon the projecting end of the nut 13 and is secured thereto preferably by a screw 15 SllOWIllIl dotted lines in Fig. 2.

16 indicates a stop which is carried by the feed-wheel 14 and projects laterally, as shown in Fig. 2.

17 indicates a sleeve referably cast as a part of the frame 8 and disposed per endicu iarly to the chuck cylinder 9, as s own in %8 indicates afeed-controlling pin, which is mounted in the sleeve 17 and projects therethrough in osition to be engaged by the stop 16 as the eed-wheel 14' rotates. Said pin is provided with a head 19 against which ear inner and outer springs 20-21 also fitted in thesleeve 17 and held under compression by an adjusting-nut 22, as shown in Fig. 6. Obviously, by adjusting the position of the nut 22 the tension of the sprin s 2021 may be controlled at pleasure, an the pressure upon the feed-controlling pin 18 thereby regulated.

As also shown in Fig. 6, the outer ends of the pin 18 and stop 16 are beveled. The arrangement is such that when the feed-Wheel rotates, the stop 16 engages the pin 18, the beveled faces of said stop and pin coming der 9 is internally screw-threaded, andits into contact. The feed-wheel is thus prevented from rotating until the tension of the s )rings 2U -2] is overcome by the pressure of the sto 16 upon the pin 18, when said. pin is forced ack into the sleeve 17 allowing the feed-wheel to continue to rotate. It Wlll be apparent also that by thus preventing rotation of the feed-wheel, if the chuck cylinder is rotated, it will be caused to travel in or out upon the nut 13, depending upon the pitch of its screw-threads. The parts are so arranged relatively to each other that the operation described causes the chuck cylinder to unscrew, thereby moving the drill toward the rail, or other work, as will be here inafter described. It follows that whenever the feed-wheel is stopped in the manner described the drill is fed, and that the extent of feed is determined by the tension of the springs 2021. It will be understood that while the best embodiment of my invention contemplates the 'use of the two springs 20-21, I do not restrict myself to such arrangement, as any other suitable construction may be employed.

23 indicates the drill, which is preferably made of uniform cross section throughout its length and of blue chip-steel, as described in my Patent, No. 772,534, dated October 18, 1904. As also described in said patent, the inner end of the drill is fitted in a transverse groove formed in "a block 24, which screws into the chuck cylinder, as illustrated in Fig. 2. By adjusting the position of the block 24, the drill may be caused to project a reater or less distance, as desired. Said bloc is adjusted by turning the drill independently of the chuck cylinder.

25-26 indicate the chuck jaws, which are fitted at opposite sides of the drill in the inner end of the chuck cylinder, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 7. Said jaws are rovided with T-shaped projections 27, w ich fit in suitably-shaped recesses in the chuck cylinder 9, as best shown in Fig. 7, by which arrangement the jaws are held properly in position. The jaws 2526 are held firmly in engagement with the drill by means of a cap 28 shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the drill 23 is provided with longitudinal beads 29 which fit in" suitable grooves in the jaws 2526. The jaws 2526 thus serve to center the drill and hold it roperly in position.

As shown in ig. 5, the chuck cylinder 9' is provided with ratchet-teeth 30, which are arranged at suitable intervals around the periphery thereof in the form of a ratchetwheel, and are preferably formed integral therewith. Said teeth are adapted to be enga ed by a pawl 31 carried in a collar 32, whic encircles the chuck cylinder over the ratchet-teeth, so that the pawl 31 is adapted to properly engage said teeth. Said pawl is fitted in a cylindrical bearing 33 carried by said bearing. A screw-ca) 35 is provided for adjusting the tension 0 the spring 34.

36 indicates a tubular lever, which is adapted to fit upon the bearing 33 for rocking the collar 32 and intermittently rotating the chuck cylinder by means of the ratchet mechanism.

3738 indicate clamping-jaws arranged perpendicularly with reference to the drill, as shown in Fig. 1, and movable in a corresponding plane. The outer or gripping faces of said jaws are parallel and are provided with teeth 39, or otherwise arranged, so that they may properly engage the parts to which the apparatus is to be secured. The inner faces of said jaws are inclined so that the block 40, which forms a part of the frame 8,

as shown in Fig. 1, being arranged adjacent to the chuck cylinder 9, as therein shown. The grooves in the block 40 are also inclined, as shown in Fig. 3, so that by moving the jaws 3738 backward and forward they ma be separated or caused to move toward each other. The jaws 37-38 are secured together so as to move in unison, and are also kept in proper adjustment by means of a head 41 screw-threaded upon a bolt 42, as shown in Fig. 3. The outer end of the bolt 42 passes through a suitable bearing 43 in the frame 8 and carries an adjusting-wheel 44, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. By rotating the wheel 44, the jaws 37'-38 may thereby be moved back and forth upon the block 40 and therebcy be caused to expand or contract, as desire 45-46 indicate screws which secure the jaws 3738, respectively, to the head 41. Suitable slots are provided in the head 41 to permit movement of the screws as the jaws expand or contract.

4748 indicates screws secured in the block 40 and extending into grooves 49'5O for holding the jaws properly in position, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The adjusting-wheel 44 is employed to secure rapid adjustment of the jaws 3738 and the parts to be gripped, as, for example,

a railroad rail, and it is not intended ord1narily for use in clamping the jaws tightly in position, although it may be em loyed for that purpose if desired. For tigl tly securing the jaws, I have provided more powerful mechanism in the form of an eccentric or cam 51, which is fitted in a suitable recess in the block 40 and is adapted by its rotation toagainst the inner surfaces of the jaws, but understood, of course, that the drill is caused upon bearing blocks 5253 interposed between the opposite sides of the cam and the jaws, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Said blocks 5253 take the wear and may readily be removed and replaced, as they are fitted loosely between the cam and the jaws. The cam 51. is preferably provided with flanges 5455 at opposite sides of the blocks 5253 for holding the cam in place. It is provided with a projecting end or head 56 which is squared, or otherwise arranged, so that it may be engaged by a wrench, or other tool, employed to rotate the cam. In the apparatus shown I provide the lever 36 with a suitable opening 57 to receive the end or head 56, so that said lever is adapted to be employed for rotating clamping aws.

. The lever 36 is secured to the frame 8, when not in use, by means of a hook 58 which receives one end of said lever and by a perforated ear 59, shown in full lines in Fig. 1, upon which the opposite end of said lever is adapted to fit. As indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, the latter end of the lever 36 is provided with a hexagonal or other suitably shaped hole which fits over the ear 59 when the lever is placed upon the frame 8. A pin 60 is passed through the ear 59 into the lever 36, as also indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby securing the lever in place.

61 indicates a hand-hole provided in the frame 8 adjacent to the inclined margin thereof, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the frame may readily be carried from place to place.

My improved drill is used and operates in the following manner :-Assuming that the apparatus is to be used to drill a railroad rail, it is first rigidly secured at the side of the rail in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 by means of the clamping jaws 3738- Such jaws are first roughly adjusted to fit between the upper and lower flanges at one side of the rail by means of the adjustingwheel 44, and the final tightening is effected by turning the head 56 of the eccentric or cam 51. By means of the cam the jaws may be caused to grip the rail so tightly as to embed the teeth therein to a greater or less extent with the result that the apparatus is immovably secured to the rail and may be left in position without interfering with traffic over the road. So far as I am aware, this feature among others is wholly new and is therefore claimed broadly.

lVhen the apparatus has been properlysecured in place, the drill is brought into contact with the rail by running down the chuck cylinder as far as may be necessary. This is effected by turning the feed-wheel 14 in a direction opposite that in which the chuck cylinder is rotated in drilling. It will be to project a suitable distance before the apparatus is applied to the rail by properly adjusting the block 24 in the chuck cylinder. lVhen the parts are in position with the drill in contact with the rail, or approximately so, the cylinder is rotated and with it the drill and adjusting screw 13 by means of the ratchet mechanism hereinbefore described. The chuck cylinder is fed toward the work carrying with it the drill by rotating the feedwheel 14 reversely, as already described this being effected automatically by means of the pin 18 and stop 16. By using the automatic mechanism described for feeding the drill, the pressure of the drill point upon the work is maintained substantially constant, since the drill advances only while the feedwheel 14 is held against rotation by the pin 18, and it is so held only until the pressure of the drill is sufficient to overcome the tension of the springs 202 1.

In addition to the advantages hereinbefore noted, it may be added that my improved drilling apparatus is very compact and comparatively light in weight, so that it may readily be handled by a single workman, who can carry it from place to place as may be necessary in the performance of his duties.

While I have described with great particularity the embodiment of my invention illus.

trated in the accompanying drawings, I wish it to be understood that in doing so I have not intended to restrict myself to the details of the construction shown and described, as except in so far as particularly claimed my invention is not restricted to such details of construction but includes generically the subject-matter of the broader claims.

That which I claim as my invention and I desire to secure by Letters-Patent is,

1. A track-drill, comprising drilling mechanism, wedge-shaped clamping means adapted to engage the flanges at one side of the rail for securing the drilling mechanism in position, and cam mechanism for tightening said clamping means.

2. A track-drill,' comprising drilling mechanism, a longitudinally-movable clamping jaw adapted to engage the rail at one side thereof, means for forcing said jaw against the rail when moved longitudinally in one anism along one margin of said to said clamping mechanism, and in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which said.

said clamping mechanism, and in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which said clamping mechanism expands.

6. A tool, comprising a frame, a stationary Wedge block carried thereby, expanding clamping jaws at opposite sides of said wedge block, and means for movingsaid jaws upon said wedge block.

7. A tool comprising a frame having a wedge block, expanding clamping jaws at opposite sides of said wedge block, means for moving said jaws upon said wedge block, and

semeo means for expanding said jaws inde endently of longitudinal movement thereo 8. A tool, comprising a frame, longitudinally-movable clamping mechanism carried by said frame, means for actuating said clam ing mechanism when moved longitudinal y, and means carried-by said frame for actuating said clamping mechanism independently of longitudinal movement thereof.

9. A tool comprising a frame, clamping mechanism carried thereby for securing the frame in position, means carried by said frame for moving said clamping mechanism into engagement with the object clamped, and additional means for tightening said clamping mechanism.

GEORGE R. RICH. Witnesses C. F. PnARs, H. B. HOWE. 

